St. Clair Avenue West Area Transportation Master Plan Public Consultation Report

January 2016

Prepared by Robyn Shyllit Sr. Public Consultation Coordinator Public Consultation Unit

Contents 1. Introduction ...... 1 2. Notification ...... 2 3. Stakeholder Consultation ...... 3 3.1 Public Information Centre 1...... 3 3.2 Consultation with Property Owners ...... 3 3.3 Consultation with Turnberry Residents Association ...... 4 3.4 Aboriginal Community Consultation ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.5 Agency Consultation ...... 3 3.6 Workshop with Students at Parkdale Collegiate Institute ...... 5 4. Summary of Consultation Input ...... 6 4.1 Input from the Public ...... 6 4.2 Input from Property Owners ...... 6 4.3 Input from Turnberry Residents Association ...... 6 4.4 Input from Aboriginal Consultation Contacts...... 6 4.5 Input from Agencies ...... 6 5. Next Steps ...... 12 6. Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………….13

1. Introduction

In 2012, City Council directed staff to carry out an Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to investigate solutions to relieve traffic congestion on St Clair Avenue West between Keele Street and Old Weston Road. The first step in this process was a Functional Planning Study completed in May 2015 that identified a list of long-term alternatives to be carried forward for further analysis through a Transportation Master Plan.

The Transportation Master Plan Study commenced in Fall 2015 to meet the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment and is expected to be completed in Spring/Summer 2016.

The Study will evaluate the following solutions:

1. Widen St. Clair Avenue West to provide 2 lanes per direction between Old Weston Road and Keele Street. The streetcar would continue to operate in a dedicated right-of-way shifted north or south to allow for additional lanes. Both options will be evaluated. 2. Extend Gunns Road from Weston Road to Union Street. Gunns Road would extend from Weston Road to Union Street, either under or over the rail corridor. Both options will be evaluated. 3. Connect Davenport Road to Lloyd Avenue. Davenport Road would extend either under or over the rail corridor. Both options will be assessed. 4. Extend Keele Street south to meet the Gunns Road extension between Weston Road and Union Street. The new east-west Gunns Road connection between Gunns Road and Turnberry Avenue would either be under or over the rail corridor. Both options will be assessed. 5. Extend Davenport Road northwest to Union Street, and implement Option 4. Potential road extensions would either be under or over the rail corridor and St.Clair Avenue West. Both options will be assessed. Extending Davenport Road without inclusion of Alternative 4 would be of little benefit. Both connections are needed to enhance connectivity. 6. One additional alternative will be considered.

This report summarizes the public consultation process and feedback received from November to December 2015, including Public Information Centre #1.

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2. Notification

Public and agency notification is an important component of the St. Clair Avenue West Area Transportation Master Plan to keep stakeholders informed about the Study and solicit their input.

A Notice of Commencement was issued on September 10, 2015 through:  Advertisements published in Bloor West Villager and York Guardian community newspapers  A posting on the project website: www..ca/stclairwestmp  Email to all agencies and utility companies  Email to local Business Improvement Areas: Junction BIA, St. Clair Gardens BIA, BIA  Email to local Residents and Ratepayers Associations: Residents, Junction Residents Association, Junction Triangle, West Bend Community Association, Turnberry Residents Association  Email to local community groups: Options for Davenport, Carlton Park People's Auxiliary, Perth- Dupont Community Garden, Campbell Park, Friends of Park, Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, The Stop Community Food Centre, DIGIN, and Friends of the  Letter and flyer sent to aboriginal communities on the contact list  Notification sent to City Councillors in Wards 11, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18

Notification for Public Information Centre #1 took place the week of Novembers 16, 2015 through:  28 letters sent to owners of potentially affected properties in the study area  Advertisements published in Bloor West Villager, York Guardian, and Portuguese Sol community newspapers  20,844 flyers mailed to residents and businesses in the study area bounded by Rogers Road (N), Dupont Street (S), Lansdowne Avenue (E) and Runnymede Avenue (W)  A posting on the project website: www.toronto.ca/stclairwestmp  Email to all agencies and utility companies  Email to local Business Improvement Areas: Junction BIA, St. Clair Gardens BIA, Corso Italia BIA  Email to local Residents and Ratepayers Associations: Carleton Village Residents, Junction Residents Association, Junction Triangle, West Bend Community Association, Turnberry Residents Association  Email to local community groups: Options for Davenport, Carlton Park People's Auxiliary, Perth- Dupont Community Garden, Campbell Park, Friends of Earlscourt Park, Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, The Stop Community Food Centre, DIGIN, and Friends of the West Toronto Railpath  Letter and flyer sent to aboriginal communities on the contact list  Notification sent to City Councillors in Wards 11, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18

Appendix A includes a record of all print notices.

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3. Stakeholder Consultation In addition to comments received via phone and email, the following opportunities for stakeholder consultation took place:  Public Information Centre #1  Property Owner Consultation  Turnberry Residents Association Consultation  Agency Consultation  Aboriginal Consultation  Workshop with students at Parkdale Collegiate Institute

3.1 Aboriginal Community Consultation The Notice of Commencement was sent to Mississauga's of the New Credit First Nation on October 5, 2015 via registered mail. No response was received to the letter or follow up email correspondence.

Notification for PIC 1 was sent to Mississauga's of the New Credit First Nation on November 18, 2015 via registered mail. No response was received to the letter, or first follow up email. A response was received to the second follow up email on November 26, 2015.

3.2 Agency Consultation The Notice of Commencement was sent on September 25, 2015 to all relevant agencies and utilities to inform them of the project. Agencies were requested to provide the City with any comments regarding the project by October 9, 2015.

To inform agencies of the proposed alternative solutions, a second letter was sent on November 19, 2015 asking them to indicate if they were interested to provide input on the study, how they would like to participate, and included an invitation to attend PIC 1.

A total of 13 agencies corresponded with the project team through this process. All comments were recorded and responded to.

3.3 Consultation with Property Owners All alternative solutions potentially affect property owners in the study area.

The City sent a letter to all potentially impacted property owners on November 17, 2015. The letters described the project process, alternative solutions being studied, and included an invitation to PIC 1. Property owners were invited to schedule individual meetings to discuss the potential impacts to their properties. Property owners located at the following addresses were contacted:

 2 Union Street  126 Union Street  6 Lloyd Avenue  141 Weston Road  31 Union Street  153 Weston Road  61 McCormack Street  159 Mulock Avenue  119 Union Street  160 Union Street

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 185 Mulock Avenue  250 Old Weston Road  192 Mulock Avenue  252 Old Weston Road  195 Mulock Avenue  254 Old Weston Road  236 Old Weston Road  290 Old Weston Road  238 Old Weston Road  295 Old Weston Road  240 Old Weston Road  623 Keele Street  242 Old Weston Road  1799 St. Clair Avenue West  244 Old Weston Road  1885 St. Clair Avenue West  248 Old Weston Road  1941 St. Clair Avenue West

3.4 Consultation with Turnberry Residents Association The Project Team met with the Turnberry Residents Association on December 15, 2015 to present the alternative solutions and respond to comments and questions. The meeting was held at 122 Turnberry Avenue from 7:00-8:30pm and was attended by 31 community members, and Ward Councillor Caesar Palacio. A total of 22 verbal questions and comments were received at this meeting, 5 comment forms, and 2 petitions.

Appendix B includes a record of comments, questions, and petitions received from the Turnberry Residents Association. Comment forms received at this meeting are included in Appendix D.

3.5 Public Information Centre 1 Public Information Centre (PIC) 1 was held at the J. Piccininni Community Centre at 1369 St. Clair Avenue West on Wednesday December 2, 2015. The format of the meeting was a drop-in centre with display panels from 6:30pm – 7:00pm, presentation at 7:00pm, followed by a question and answer period. Attendees were able to review panel displays until 8:30pm, which provided participants the opportunity to further discuss the project with the Project Team.

The purpose of the Public Information Centre was to:  Present an overview and background of the St.Clair Avenue West Area Transportation Master Plan  Present the alternative solutions and evaluation criteria and receive stakeholder feedback  Listen to stakeholder concerns and respond to comments and questions

The display panels included the following information: 1. Purpose of the meeting 2. Study process 3. Information on previous and related studies 4. Problem/opportunity statement 5. Study area 6. Challenges and benefits 7. Existing transportation conditions 8. Existing cycling facilities 9. Existing natural and social environment 10. Existing traffic conditions: weekday AM, weekday PM, weekend 11. Alternative solutions 12. Evaluation criteria 13. Next steps

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Copies of the display material, online comment form, and the presentation were made available on the project website www.toronto.ca/stclairwesttmp in advance of the meeting date.

PIC 1 was attended by 97 participants who signed in. Various opportunities were provided to submit comments and ask questions at PIC 1 and throughout the duration of the comment period that concluded on December 18, 2015.

Below is a summary of the correspondence including the method it was received.  PIC 1- comments written directly on display panels using sticky notes: 40+ received  PIC 1 - question and Answer period: 9 received  PIC 1 - conversation with project team: 29 recorded  Comment forms: 22 received  Online comment form: 264 responses  Email comments: 41 received  Phone comments: 7 received

Appendix C includes the PIC comment form.

Appendix D includes a record of all comments received though panel displays, comment forms, and online survey.

3.6 Workshop with Students at Parkdale Collegiate Institute The Project Team was invited to present a workshop to 63 grade 9 geography students at Parkdale Collegiate Institute at 209 Jameson Avenue on December 17, 2015.

The workshop was led by Senior Public Consultation Coordinator Robyn Shyllit, and Project Manager Ed Presta who presented an overview of the Study, and engaged students in an activity where they had to evaluate the alternative solutions from the perspective of one of the following stakeholder groups: pedestrian, driver, cyclist, business owner, home owner, or public transportation user. The students conducted further evaluation of the alternative solutions as a homework assignment.

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4. Summary of Consultation Input

4.1 Input from Aboriginal Consultation Contacts Aboriginal communities consulted indicated that the project has a low level of concern and would like to receive future communications.

4.2 Input from Agencies Agency comments included responses from: , Hydro One, Ministry of Tourism, Toronto Region and Conservation Authority, Conservation , Ministry of Energy and Climate Change, Toronto Fire Services, Ontario Provincial Police, and Toronto Emergency Services.

The Project Team received, recorded, and responded to all correspondence.

4.3 Input from Property Owners Property owners submitted comments and questions related to:  requests to be informed throughout the study process  property impacts of alternative solutions  impacts to property value  development applications and impacts to potential redevelopment  construction scheduling

4.4 Input from Turnberry Residents Association Attendees of the meeting with the Turnberry Residents Association submitted comment through the public comment form and online survey, and through the question and answer period at the meeting held on December 15, 2015.

Attendees described strong concern for solutions 2, 4 and 5 that would directly impact Turnberry Avenue causing concerns around safety, pollution, property value, and increased vehicle traffic moving through the residential neighbourhood.

Two petitions were sent to Ward 17 Councillor Palacio and forwarded to the Project Team after this meeting signed by 7 residents and 14 members of the St. Clair Gardens Business Improvement Area. The petitions described "full support of the following alternatives ranked in the order below with regards to the Master Plan".

1. Widening of St. Clair Ave West under the bridge to allow for two more vehicle lanes for east- west bound traffic flow; 2. The extension of Keele Street south to Davenport Road with a bridge travelling over St. Clair Avenue West, with a connection to Gunns Road for East-west vehicle flow; 3. The extension of Davenport Road bridged over to connect to West Toronto Street. This will allow east-west traffic flow while reducing the number of vehicles travelling through St.Clair Avenue West.

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4.5 Input from the Public PIC 1 was attended by 97 participants who signed in. The main themes that emerged from comments regarding the alternative solutions and evaluation criteria are described below.

Solution 1: Widening of St. Clair Respondents stated support for Solution 1 regarding:  the best option to directly relieve vehicle congestion on St. Clair  improved connections and safety for cyclists and pedestrians through incorporation of bike lanes and street lighting  better use of adjacent street space  use of a pre-existing route  minimal disturbance to residential streets  potential for new streetscape amenities  improved emergency response times

Respondents stated concerns for Solution 1 regarding:  the viability, expense, time and inconvenience caused by major construction  impacts during construction on local businesses  a perceived focus on driving with pedestrians and cyclists as a secondary consideration  skepticism of the real impact that widening of St. Clair would have to relieve congestion  impact to a heritage building at corner of Old Weston Road and St. Clair Avenue West  lack of connections for new bike lanes to other networks  lack of new neighbourhood roadway connections provided

Additional comments:  suggested removal of the dedicated streetcar ROW to permit vehicle access

A few samples of comments received are included below:

"It makes sense."

"I am 100% in favour of this option! The underpass is a nightmare for vehicles and cyclists."

"If there is a way to incorporate a safe way for cyclists to use this road then I like it. If adding a lane causes drivers to speed through the underpass and clip cyclists, I'm not on board. This is a very vulnerable area for active transportation."

"Skeptical that it will improve traffic…Would hate for it to cause more traffic."

Solution 2: Extend Gunns Road from Weston Road to Union Street Respondents stated support for Solution 2 regarding:  increased connectivity for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians between neighbourhoods currently separated by the railway corridor  the least invasive option to provide an alternate route to relieve traffic from St. Clair and other neighbouring streets  less disruption caused than Solution 1 during the construction period

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Respondents stated concerns for Solution 2 regarding:  skepticism if sufficient to relieve congestion on St. Clair  increase to vehicle and truck traffic on residential streets  removal of parking space for local residents to accommodate increased traffic  impact on neighbourhood safety, quality of life, and property value in the Turnberry area  the route being too far north, and difficult for users who are unfamiliar with the area to access  property values affected for the townhouses fronting Weston Road

Additional comments:  described that this location would need a dedicated bike lane  asked that any routes involve connections to the West Toronto Railpath, park system, and other cycling infrastructure  described potential impact of increased traffic on Symes Road

A few samples of comments received are included below:

"It diverts some east-west traffic away from St Clair. It provides an additional route for traffic if there are issues at St Clair. It saves St Clair from more construction."

"Cyclists heading East or West won't want to head North to cross the St.Clair/Weston Road intersection."

"This will have a detrimental impact on the residents living in this neighbourhood. This will negatively impact the community through increased traffic, pollution, and noise, all while putting the MANY young children whom live in this neighbourhood into danger. Road safety will be deeply concerning if this proposal is passed"

Solution 3: Connect Davenport Road to Lloyd Avenue Respondents stated support for Solution 3 regarding:  improved neighbourhood connectivity across the rail corridor  an alternate route to alleviate congestion from St. Clair.  a natural continuation of the Davenport bike lane and West Toronto Railpath  an attractive solution for pedestrians

Respondents stated concerns for Solution 3 regarding:  property expropriation and impacts to home owners who have recently renovated  the effectiveness of this route as a "road to nowhere" with low connectivity west of Keele Street  impacts of increased vehicle traffic on Mulock and Lloyd Avenue  challenges for cyclists alongside high-speed traffic on Keele Street and Old Weston Road and connecting to networks further west

Additional comments suggested that this solution is best implemented in tandem with one of the other solutions being studied.

A few samples of comments received are included below:

"The neighbourhood connectivity would be a huge benefit in helping businesses grow and make the community more walkable."

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"I think this alternative would be best pursued along with alternative 1. It seems to make sense to connect Davenport to Keele especially because the current connection is awkward, both with signalling and traffic flow. Also would make more sense for pedestrian access to Keele."

"On its own, it does not make a significant impact to the area."

" it needs to account for the potential future extension of the West Toronto Railpath northward to St. Clair and allow that extension to be made as efficiently and inexpensively as possible."

Solution 4: Extend Keele Street south to meet the Gunns Road extens ion between Weston Road and Union Street Respondents stated support for Solution 4 regarding:  an alternate north/south route  improvement to overall connectivity in the study area

Respondents stated concerns for Solution 4 regarding:  impacts to residents living on Turnberry Avenue such as increased vehicle and truck traffic, pollution, noise, and safety of children  effectiveness to relieve traffic congestion on St.Clair  impact on the Lavender Creek ravine and local green space  expense of property expropriation  challenges to provide connections to cycling infrastructure

Additional comments suggested:  that this solution is best implemented in tandem with one of the other solutions being studied  creation of a roundabout at the new Keele/Turnberry intersection

A few samples of comments received are included below:

"This is my favourite solution as it improved north-south as well as east-west traffic flow. Provides alternative routes to divert some traffic away from St Clair."

"Improved connectivity is almost always a good thing. Would reduce confusion for people new to the area (I've found myself trapped on that Keele dead-end before while driving)."

"It would take traffic pressure off both Keele-St.Clair and Weston-Rogers, and could provide a safe and direct cycling route connecting Runnymede and Keele."

"This would involve the destruction of a remaining fragment of the Lavender Creek ravine."

"This brings an increased flow of traffic to the residential area cause a lot of noise and safety concern for residents, especially children who spend a lot of evenings and weekends playing in parkettes in the Turnberry area and school grounds at the schools St. Matthew Catholic School and General Mercer."

Solution 5: Extend Davenport Road northwest to Union Street, and implement Option 4 Respondents stated support for Solution 5 regarding:  the most comprehensive strategy to create alternate routes and connections both north and south of St. Clair for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians

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Respondents stated concerns for Solution 5 regarding:  if it would be truly sufficient and effective to relieve congestion on St. Clair  impacts to traffic on residential streets in the Turnberry area  effects to property value at Davenport and Old Weston Road  overall cost

A few samples of comments received are included below:

"I think this is the best option as it: Addresses situation north and south of St Clair. Minimal impact on existing traffic flow. Creates through ways north and south as well as East and West."

"This is the best solution because it provides the most alternatives for everyone including bikes, cars and pedestrians. Connects 3 neighborhoods: Stockyards, Carleton & Silverthorne."

"Not too workable for cyclists if the rail path is not extended."

"Turnberry is already a busy road. Also, there is a school just east of Old Weston. NOT A GOOD IDEA"

"This is craziness!!! You just drop more on Keele and Weston which are already backed up at rush hour."

Solution 6: suggestions for additional solution to be considered The following ideas were put forward by respondents as a potential Solution to be considered:  Road Connections o extending the West Toronto Railpath north and to Davenport Road o connecting Davenport Road to the Stockyards District o creating a new north/south connection through the west side of the Stockyards District o extending Junction Road west of Keele Street o restoring the connection between Junction Road and Davenport Road/Weston Road o restoring the bridge at Old Weston Road south to connect to /Dupont Street/Annette Street o extending Keele Street south along the rail corridor  Operations Improvements o reducing on street parking on St.Clair Avenue West o using the Stockyards District for dedicated bike lanes o increasing turning restrictions in the study area  Transit Service o adding a GO RER and SmartTrack station o eliminating the dedicated streetcar ROW on St. Clair Avenue West o diverting the streetcar ROW around the underpass  Street Conversions o putting St. Clair Avenue West at grade and moving railway tracks below

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Evaluation Criteria Feedback and comments about the evaluation criteria included a range of suggestions for additional criteria in each category, as outlined in the table below.

Category Additional evaluation criteria suggested Socio-economic environment  Health and well being  Creating a walkable and cycling friendly transportation route that connects to the West Toronto Railpath  Impacts to private property  Impacts for low-income families  Public amenity evaluation  Changes/impacts on emergency response  Impacts on development  Community cohesion and connectivity  Opportunities for public art  Duration of construction  Impacts on business owners  Safety and visibility for pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users  Additional green space and green corridor connectivity  Development opportunities  New business opportunities  Nuisance caused by noise and construction  Capacity to manage population needs  Traffic impacts  Air Quality impacts Natural environment  Impact and increase on cycling infrastructure  Connection to West Toronto Railpath  Increase in natural areas  Impacts to natural heritage  Increase to tree canopy and green space Cultural environment  Extension of the West Toronto Railpath  Impact to heritage property Transportation  Extension of the West Toronto Railpath  Space for pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure and connections  Connection to existing path systems  Increase to neighbourhood traffic  Average delay for traffic during peak hours  Opportunities for improved TTC service, and transit connections  Integration with GO RER station  Transportation efficiency  Safety for vulnerable road users Construction and Cost  More focus needed on bike and pedestrian traffic  Engineering feasibility  Feasibility of solutions to impact traffic congestion  Extension of West Toronto Railpath  Impact on existing transportation activities

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Additional Feedback Additional feedback on the TMP was submitted regarding:  requests for inclusion on email lists and more information  poor cycling infrastructure and safety in the study area  review of international best practices for street design  traffic bottlenecks in the area caused by vehicles accessing Drive to connect to Highway 401  north/south traffic being a bigger issue than east/west movement  extension and connection of the West Toronto Railpath northwards, and consideration of cycling routes and pedestrians in all solutions  intersection improvements to alleviate congestion through changes to turning lanes, intersection signals, and removal of on-street parking  increased signage to direct vehicles to alternate routes  frustration about ongoing construction disruption in the area  concerns for emergency vehicle access under the bridge along St. Clair  Traffic congestion issues at Keele/Dundas and Dundas/Dupont/Annette intersections

Next Steps The Project Team will recommend one or more technically preferred solution(s) to move forward based on the results of the evaluation and public consultation comments.

The next phase of public consultation will take place in early spring 2016 to present the recommended solution and solicit stakeholder input.

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